GENTLEMEN : I received yours of the 10th October, this day. Am extremely unhappy in not receiving it in time, as Captain Jones, in the Alfred, and Hacker, in the Providence, sailed two days ago, well manned ; and the ships now here are the two new ships, the Columbus and Hamden. The Hamden must be repaired before she can sail ; and the ships are not more than half manned. However, I am glad to receive your orders for an expedition to the southward, that I may have it in my power to convince the gentlemen in every State that I have nothing at heart but the common cause, without any partiality to any particular State. This you may rely on, that I will attempt to put your orders in execution, if I am obliged to do it with a single ship, although I shall do all in my power to get all the force here with me that possibly can be manned.

If I can't get the whole manned next week, shall take the men out of some to man the others, and leave them with a few officers to take care of them until they receive your further orders.

I am, with great respect, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servant,

ESEK HOPKINS.

To the Hon. John Hancock, Esq., President of the honourable Marine Committee at Philadelphia.

BERNARD GALLAGHER TO CAPTAIN JONES.

Boston, November 3, 1776.

SIR : Being so unfortunate as to miss you the day you sailed, by supposing you to have stood out to sea, or gone into Canso harbour the night before, have occasioned us all a numerous deal of misfortunes. We see a sail going into Canso as we got under way. We stood out towards Canso harbour, and supposing it to be some of the fleet, stood off and on that night and the next day, when a small privateer called the General Gates, Captain William Kilton, came athwart us, and finding we had no paper, took us for impostors, carried us into Canso, took our arms from us, and would not promise to let more than two have a passage in her. But the next day, about ten o'clock, Captain Dawson and another brig hove in sight. We all being aboard, the privateer was obliged to run in to St. Peter's Bay, thinking to escape them there. However, they pursued us through the woods, with all the exasperated inhabitants, and took thirty of us, out of fifty-five, prisoners, nine of them belonging to us, dividing us between both vessels, I being put on board Captain Dawson, where he paid me the compliment to put me in irons for fourteen days, being so much the more aggressor represented to him by Captain Dory. We were all fetched to Halifax, where we were oft obliged to live daily on two-thirds of a pound of bread and about two ounces of pork, one hundred of us being confined in a vessel's hold, about one hundred tons burthen, with a guard of twelve soldiers to watch us. There we were obliged to stay for two weeks more, when we had the pleasure to be put on board the cartel. We arrived at Marblehead yesterday, and got to this town last night ; the only persons that are got so far belonging to us being James Rogers, George Nicholson, and myself ; we being obliged to leave sick on board the cartel Ben. Allen, John Fears, and Munroe. As I intend to make the best of my way to Philadelphia, I hope in case you should fit out for another cruise before my arrival you will be so good as to order my chest and clothes to be given to James Gallagher, shopkeeper in Front street, near the drawbridge, or else order them into some person's care you can confide in. I hope you will excuse this trouble.

I am, with respect, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

BERNARD GALLAGHER.

Captain John Jones, Esq., Sloop Providence, Philadelphia.

N. B. There was on board the sloop belonging to me, one chest, one trunk, one case, one bed, two quilts, two blankets, one sheet, with some sea-clothes, one quadrant, one spy-glass, one ten-gallon keg of spirit, one barrel of sugar, one hat.

GENERAL WARD TO JAMES WARREN.

Boston, 3d November, 1776.

SIR : At the request of Colonel David Brewer, I beg ]eave to mention his desire to engage in the service in the new Army, if the General Court should think fit to employ him.

Colonel Joshua Davis also inclines to engage in the service. He has been Barrackmaster for this division of the Army for several months past.

Major Daniel Wood, of Berwick, also inclines to serve. All the above desired me to mention their names.

I am, sir, your obedient, humble servant,

ARTEMAS WARD.

Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives.

DANIEL HOPKINS TO JAMES WARREN.

HONOURED SIR : You will recollect I am one of the Committee appointed by the General Court to collect hard money for the Canada expedition. By a warrant from the honourable Board I drew out of the Colony treasury three thousand and fifty-five dollars, in bills, and have deposited the same number of dollars in the treasury, of hard money, for which I have the Treasurer's receipt. My request is that a Committee be appointed by the honourable House to inspect my accounts, and give me a discharge.

N. B. I have also delivered the Treasurer, in hard money, two hundred and fifty dollars, not included in the said warrant.

Your most humble servant, D. Hopkins.

Honourable James Warren.

VERNON HEBB AND TIMOTHY BOWES TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Leonard-Town, November 4th, 1776.

GENTLEMEN : Agreeable to the requisition of your honourable Board, we examined into the state and condition of the vessels drifted on shore, or made captures of from Lord Dunmore's fleet, and are of opinion, that of the following vessels lying at Kitt's Point, to wit : one very large pilot-boat, one schooner of about fourteen hundred bushels burthen, one sloop of about two thousand bushels, delivered with some rigging—the sloop only in a condition to be removed ; and in order to do that, it will be necessary to send hands down with an anchor and cable. No hands to be hired here.

At Cherry Fields, one sloop about fourteen hundred bushels burthen, one schooner of about twelve hundred bushels burthen—much repairs necessary before either can be removed.

If, gentlemen, it should be the opinion of your Board to have the vessels which, in our judgment, cannot be removed without repairing—which we should not have relied on could we have procured any skillful person to have examined them—disposed of, we should be glad to receive your instructions relative thereto, as soon as convenient.

We are, gentlemen, your very humble servants,

VERNON HEBB.

TIMOTHY BOWES.

To the honourable Council of Safety, Annapolis.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO THE MARYLAND CONVENTION.

Philadelphia, November 4th, 1776.

GENTLEMEN : I am particularly instructed by Congress to inform you that the resolutions of your House, to pay ten dollars in lieu of the hundred acres of land determined by Congress to be given to such non-commissioned officers and soldiers as shall inlist to serve during the war, will, in the opinion of Congress, prove extremely detrimental to these States, if carried into execution ; as it will, in all probability, induce such soldiers as are to compose the remainder of the levies, to require an equal sum from the United States, and by refusing until their demands shall be complied with, compel the Congress to the immediate payment of an additional bounty, far beyond what is reasonable. The Congress are so entirely satisfied with the propriety of offering land to the soldiery as an inducement to inlist in the service, that they cannot rescind the resolve they passed for that purpose ; and are moreover of opinion, that the faith of Con­gress, which they have plighted, (by virtue of the power with which they were vested,) must be obligatory upon their constituents ; that no one State can by its own act be released therefrom, and that the interest of the United States